Taiwan

FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT TAIWAN - PAGE 5

The General Assembly of the United Nations rejected a resolution proposed by 12 member states on Sept. 22. The resolution called for the forming of an ad hoc committee in the UN to "consider the exceptional situation of Taiwan in the international context." Simply put, Taiwan is knocking on the UN's door after it was expelled in 1971, when the People's Republic of China (PRC) became the sole representative of China in the UN. The people of Taiwan have no intention to squabble with the People's Republic over who may represent China in the UN. Rather, their only intention in appealing for UN membership is to have their voices heard and their rights represented in the international community.

Taiwan announced sweeping changes to allow businessmen to freely invest their export earnings overseas for the first time since 1949. The island, a big exporter to the United States, has massive reserves worth $62 billion. Only Japan and West Germany have larger reserves.

On April 11, the Clinton administration took action to bar the import of wildlife products from Taiwan as a trade sanction, because of Taiwan's lack of progress in prohibiting tiger and rhinoceros products. The blindness of Clinton to the fact that Taiwan government and people have been trying so desperately to pass and implement the Wild Animals Protection Law was despicable. The use of tiger and rhinoceros bones has been long and deep-seated in Chinese medicines. Taiwan, like China, might have pushed these two animals to the brink of extinction, but the humanitarian aspect should not be neglected.

Taiwan ordered six aircraft from Boeing Co. in a move to help reduce its trade surplus with the United States. The order, worth $774 million, was for five Boeing 747-409 passenger planes and a 747-209 cargo jet.

Taiwan should be admitted to the United Nations, according to a resolution approved by the Worth Village Board Tuesday night. The board voted unanimously for the resolution urging that the U.S. government ask the UN to admit Taiwan. Other communities that have approved similar resolutions include Calumet Park and Orland Hills, said Worth Mayor James Bilder. Adoption of such resolutions is being sought by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Chicago. Taipei is the capital of Taiwan, where Nationalist Chinese forces fled after the Communist revolution on the mainland.

Taiwan said it is setting a five-year target to reduce its trade surplus with the United States to less than $10 billion. Officials said reductions in the trade surplus will begin next year, with a goal of cutting more than $1 billion annually. The surplus with the U.S. is expected to hit a record high of more than $16 billion this year, up from $13.6 billion last year.

By Michael Gold TAIPEI, Dec 20 (Reuters) - As winter descends on northern Asia, Taiwan's hundreds of mineral-rich hot springs welcome long-distance travellers and day trippers alike into cosy and relaxing retreats from the cold. Aside from great food, shopping and nightlife, Taiwan offers a hot spring culture that is one of the best developed in Asia, with escapes for every price range and timeframe. The island, at the confluence of two major tectonic zones, is a geological marvel where frequent earthquakes rearrange the stunning mountain scenery and unearth new hot spring sources with every rumble.

In the face of renewed military threats from China, the Pentagon has proposed the sale of 162 Hawk surface-to-air missiles to Taiwan, along with new radar equipment. Approval is needed from Congress and the State Department. Tensions are high between Taipei and Beijing because of China's attempts to pressure Taiwan into resuming negotiations leading to its reunification with the mainland. On Monday, Chinese military leaders said they would "spare no effort in a blood-soaked battle" if that is necessary to overcome Taiwanese opposition to negotiated reunification.